


These Inconvenient Fireworks

by themorninglark



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Kisses, M/M, Minor SouGou, Reverse Chronology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-26
Updated: 2015-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-23 11:27:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4874968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themorninglark/pseuds/themorninglark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What's Christmas Eve without a date?" asks Kisumi then, and Rin nearly chokes on his coffee as he watches Kisumi take a calm sip out of his.</p><p>(or, a love story in reverse; their kisses through time.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Inconvenient Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bloomejasmine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloomejasmine/gifts).



> I love KisuRin ♥ and this one's for Lexy, my partner in crime, who asked for (and I quote) "fluffy gross KisuRin". 
> 
> She made a set of stunning drawings to go with the fic! [Check them out here](http://logicandfeelsart.tumblr.com/post/133402679494/another-illustrationillustration-set-dedicated-to)
> 
> Title from Vienna Teng's "Stray Italian Greyhound" :)

In the golden rays of summer's first dawn, his hair's fine like spun straw, candy-coloured between Rin's pale fingers. It spills airily, feather-soft like a breath of wind, and it sears threads of pure light into the weathered creases of Rin's palms.

When Rin sits up, he has to be careful not to wake him. But he's learned, over the years, just how to shift his weight, and he's learned just how gently to kiss so that Kisumi doesn't stir.

They don't have to steal their moments together any more, not that Rin's finally home for good. But he's made a habit of it anyway. Kisumi's stolen enough from him, after all.

So he presses his lips to that space just above the pink curve of one ear. Breathes in the scent of strawberries and sweat, and whispers a _good morning_ that goes unheard.

 

* * *

 

"I get the first dance with the bride," says Rin, and no one objects, not even Gou.

She is a vision, nearly as tall as Rin in her ridiculous heels, and nearly tripping over them as they waltz, but he doesn't see because he is tearing up. Still, he _feels_ her stumble and he catches her, and they're both breathless and laughing. She buries her face in his shoulder and hugs all the air out of him. He grins, blinks away the last of the teardrops and hands her to Sousuke with an exaggerated bow.

Slender arms snake round his waist then, and he feels delicate fingers brush his eyelid.

"You're crying." Kisumi smiles against his cheek.

"Am not," Rin mutters.

With a tinkling laugh that melts into the piano of the chorus, Kisumi whirls him round so they're face to face, and Rin is annoyed that he is taller, that he's leading Rin in this dance, and Rin, as always, is the one who's swept away.

"You're so _cute_ when you're grumpy," teases Kisumi.

"Shut up."

"Make me - "

Rin tries to tread on his foot, but Kisumi's too nimble for him, and he sidesteps him neatly, tightens his grip round Rin and pulls him closer.

"You know how to," Kisumi murmurs.

And Rin does.

He kisses him, winding his fingers upwards and through the strands of hair at the nape of Kisumi's neck.

He feels the way their bodies move, together, to the soaring crescendo of a melodious ballad, and Kisumi is a song, echoing in Rin's mind; his beat is carved out of flickering starlight, and he tumbles, free and wild, a _capriccio_ on the loose.

"Rin…"

Rin looks up. Kisumi's gaze is serious. "Hmmm?"

"When Gou moves out, will you stay in your house?"

"I don't know," says Rin. "Why?"

"Move in with me," Kisumi whispers, and Rin's heart stops, just for a second; wonders, _is Kisumi joking?_ , then perishes the thought faster than a flame in the wind. He knows better, now.

 

* * *

 

"Isn't this _romantic_?"

Rin scowls, because _yes_ , it kind of is, but it's also kind of deflating to have Kisumi steal the sentiment from the tip of his tongue, and to have Kisumi _know_ exactly what he's doing. Always half a step ahead, always riding the breeze. Or, right now, the storm.

But then he feels a hand close around his, clasping the handle of the umbrella, and he turns to look at Kisumi looking at him, and those violet eyes shine like a child's seeing the rain for the first time, that damp hair's slightly mussed - fringe in his eyes, curls, for once, not immaculately coiffed -

"Oi, you're getting wet," says Rin, and Kisumi runs his free hand through his hair, turning his face upwards with a smile.

 _Come in closer._ No, Rin doesn't say that, but with a wordless tug on Kisumi's elbow, they're pressed up by each other and Rin feels a sudden warmth radiating through his side.

"You're warm," he blurts out, like an idiot.

"So are you," says Kisumi, the wry grin of reminiscence on his lips.

They cross a bridge. Beneath their feet, the pavement's slippery, so they walk slowly, deliberately. The river that flows through London is filling up quickly. The buildings are grey, the world is grey, and they're twin splashes of colour against this canvas, pink and red and purple, sweet and intense.

And under their shared shelter, the patter of raindrops overhead and grey skies above, Kisumi's head ducks, coming closer to Rin's.

"Don't kiss me _here_ , we're in _public_ \- "

But (always, half a step ahead) Kisumi beats Rin's protest into silence with the tenderest of kisses, grazing his cheekbone for the briefest of moments. It feels like a passing shower of sunlight.

"Your reward for winning," says Kisumi, glowing; and Rin, feeling the weight of the medal on his chest, can't even be mad at him.

 

* * *

 

"Go _on_ , Rin, admit it!"

"Fine, fine - it isn't Christmas after all without the shitty weather, and the huge-ass Christmas trees, and the _illumination_ \- "

Kisumi whoops and slings his arm round Rin's shoulder, and they clink paper cups of steaming hot coffee, sitting on their bench at Omotesando Hills.

"Especially the shitty weather," says Kisumi, with a wink.

Rin rolls his eyes.

The bare trees are lit up in white and blue, and it _is_ all very beautiful, and maybe because it's Kisumi - who makes it all seem so effortless, who wears his heart right out there on his sleeve without shame - it's easier for Rin to say it out loud.

"It _is_ very beautiful. Thanks for nagging me to come back."

Kisumi pouts, ever so slightly. "You were so _stubborn_."

"Well. You were so _persistent_."

"What's Christmas Eve without a date?" asks Kisumi then, and Rin nearly chokes on his coffee as he watches Kisumi take a calm sip out of his, feels his arm stay right where it is round his shoulder; it feels like it's growing warmer, but - no, it's just Rin - _he's_ growing warmer, the blood's rushing to his neck, his face -

"You're warm," Kisumi remarks.

"What did you _say_?" Rin sputters, wiping the coffee from his lips.

"You're warm?"

"No, before that."

"I said, what's Christmas Eve without a - "

"Is this a _date_?"

"Ri-in," Kisumi says, drawling out the single syllable of his name with that lovely, lilting voice of his, "what _else_ could it mean when you ask someone out on Christmas Eve?"

"I don't know, I…"

Rin feels his voice trail off weakly. The truth is -

"I never knew, with you," he admits.

Kisumi cocks his head in puzzlement. "Huh?"

"You - we - the way we've always been. I never knew if you were serious."

Kisumi's eyes flare up then, brilliant, stone cold amethyst under the glowing Christmas lights, and he presses his lips together in a thin line.

"Of _course_ I'm serious. Rin, did you think I was joking?"

Rin's words are sharp barbs on his tongue, pricking, stinging; they hurt even when they don't mean to, and he bites them off between the points of his teeth, with a glance at Kisumi through searching eyes.

"Kisumi, we were _kids_."

"So?"

Rin sighs. "Kids do a lot of dumb things."

"Yeah," says Kisumi, looking away. "Maybe it _was_ dumb of me to kiss you."

He starts to withdraw his arm, unwinding it from where it rests on Rin's shoulder.

 _Fuck this_ , thinks Rin, and reaches up to grab Kisumi roughly by the wrist. He swallows. His throat is dry in this cold winter air. His lips are cracking. He'd forgotten his chapstick today. It probably _would_ be dumb to kiss anyone right now.

"Uh," Rin says. Licks his lips. "You wanna try it again? To be sure?"

"Well, I guess one more time couldn't hurt," Kisumi says, airily.

 

* * *

 

If he had a second home, thinks Rin, it wouldn't be Australia, or even Iwatobi. It would be the airport. He's come to know it far too well, over time - come to know where to find good coffee, where the best spot for wi-fi reception is, where he can refill his water bottle, and the fastest routes to all the gates.

Leaving's a familiar game, one he's played often enough to know how it goes -

But this time, there's a new face in the crowd of well-wishers. A _new-old_ face, to be exact.

"Kisumi!"

Kisumi waves, and grins. "Surprised to see me?"

"Yeah," says Rin, as they bump arms and exchange a hug. "How did you know I was leaving?"

"You're _terrible_ , Rin, you never told me! I had to find out from Sousuke!"

"I didn't think you'd want to know," Rin murmurs, and then _hears_ , how ridiculous the words sound as they fall from his lips; this is Kisumi, after all, Kisumi, who'd bothered to come find him all the way at Samezuka's Cultural Festival, who'd remembered the secret handshake after all these years, and picked up right where they left off like nothing changed -

Except they have. They both have.

Kisumi's always been lanky, with that height for basketball, but he's filled it out now with an easy grace that makes Rin just a little bit jealous. Even with a slight slouch to his shoulders, he's taller than Rin.

His smile's still bright, and his eyes dance with excitement.

"Rin, it's you," he says. "Don't be silly. I want to know."

"Okay. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Kisumi admonishes him with a click of his tongue, a hand on his shoulder, giving Rin a light squeeze through his jacket.

"I'll forgive you," says Kisumi, "as long as you come back for Christmas."

"Uh, I haven't decided - "

"Don't forget!"

And then they're sounding the final call, and Rin has to go, and Kisumi, quick as the wind, leans in and gives Rin a peck on the cheek before he steps away, vanishing once again.

 

* * *

 

" _Rin!_ "

Rin nearly falls off the swing at the sound of his name. He fumbles, drops to the ground and turns.

It's Kisumi. His hands are cupped round his mouth, and he's standing on the other side of the playground, waving at Rin. He runs over, long legs stretching out before him as he sprints across the sand.

"Kisumi?"

Kisumi's out of breath, panting; he's sweaty and flushed, but that doesn't stop him from coming right up next to Rin, from gripping the chains of the swing and standing so close that Rin can't move, and the funny thing is, that's so like Kisumi that Rin doesn't think it's strange at all. Kisumi's the kind of person who's always - _close_ \- touching -

"I heard. About your transfer."

"Ah, yeah…"

"When are you leaving?" asks Kisumi.

"When the term starts. I'll be moving to my grandmother's house. It's closer to Iwatobi."

"Wow," Kisumi breathes. "So soon, huh?"

"Yeah."

Kisumi takes a step back, and leans against the bars of the swing. Rin kicks off the ground. Soars into the air, where he is free.

He hears Kisumi's voice drift up to him. "What will you do there?"

"Swim," says Rin. "Will you keep playing basketball?"

"Of course," says Kisumi.

"You might get hurt," says Rin, grinning.

Kisumi shrugs, and then breaks out into a warm laugh; spring's just around the corner now, and his laughter is the pink of the sakura peeping out on bare branches, light and blushing. He reaches out with one hand, and stops Rin on his downward swing so they're eye to eye.

"You should kiss me," Kisumi declares, solemnly, "in case I do."

Rin snorts. "That's not how it works!"

"I'll make sure to save it up!"

"Okay, _okay_ \- "

Rin grabs Kisumi by the hand, kisses his fingertips and hops off the swing.

"Race you to the monkey bars!" he calls. But Kisumi's already ahead of him, and Rin is pronounced a rotten egg on his arrival, so he's sulky the rest of the afternoon.

 

* * *

 

All Rin knows is, one moment he was _totally_ gonna make that basket, the next he's tripped over a rock or something or maybe his own shoelaces and he's on the ground and it tastes _really_ bad, and Sousuke's calling out his name, and Kisumi gasps.

" _Whoa_ ," breathes Kisumi.

Sousuke's voice cuts in. "Rin, you're _bleeding_!"

Rin blinks. He spits a mouthful of dirt out of his mouth. "I am?"

He looks up to see Sousuke bent over him, his brow furrowed in concern, and Kisumi's huddled himself into a crouch, inspecting Rin's skinned knee.

"Can you straighten your leg?" asks Kisumi.

Rin tries. He feels like everything is bruised, and battered, and it smarts, but with some effort, he manages to do as Kisumi says.

"That's good," says Kisumi. "That means you didn't break anything."

Rin flexes the knee a few times. He hugs it close, and stares at it. It's pretty banged up, scratches criss-crossed over his kneecap, a small trickle of blood down his shin. He brushes the dirt off the wound, and winces.

"It still hurts," he grumbles.

"Should we get your mom?" asks Sousuke.

"No!" Rin yelps hastily. "I'm fine."

"All you need," says Kisumi, his eyes twinkling, "is this."

He swoops in and presses a kiss to a clean spot on Rin's knee.

"There!"

Rin stares. "That was _gross_!"

Kisumi sticks his tongue out at him. "When you're hurt, you kiss the pain better. It always works for Hayato!"

Rin wrinkles his nose. "Still gross."

He grabs on to Sousuke's arm for support, gets to his feet and dusts himself off.

"This is stupid," he says. "Let's go swim instead. You can't hurt yourself from swimming."

Kisumi picks up the basketball from the ground and darts round Rin, dribbling it expertly. His sleeve brushes by the bare skin of Rin's forearm, wind in his wake; the smile he throws over his shoulder is luminous, and years later, this is the Kisumi that Rin remembers -

Sunlight on his face, spilling down his fine, flyaway hair like gold, and that smile - so warm -

" _You_ go. I still want to play."

Rin watches Kisumi make a dash for the hoop, tossing the ball high. He takes a hesitant step towards his bags at the side of the court, leaning his weight on the injured knee.

Funnily enough, it _does_ seem to hurt less now.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Linking Lexy's amazing accompanying art again if you haven't seen it!
> 
> [Check it out here](http://logicandfeelsart.tumblr.com/post/133402679494/another-illustrationillustration-set-dedicated-to)


End file.
